Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-22
Grensinr the Fnt SOW.

.
At n dinner or some such entertain
ment lately given 10y the Chamber OF
Commerce in New York, Mr.. Dcpew was
one Of the speakers. Among other
things he said :
"Jhe political sacacity Of ne hour finds no
means for preventing a surplus in The Treasury
which threatens the credit and stability oi Nu-.-
ness and the Generalization Of ne Government
and seeks 20 diminish e. boy approprhung mill
lions for dredging creeks which can only ic
utilized for ecl-pots and tcrrapiu-iarms, ohcu
proper mail subsidies might build merchant
marine which would carry our nae once more
over all %" Wat,rs of thc world, furnish "a ready
madc navy In time of war. and start vast ship
yards upon the Delaware and arms OF the sea
North and SOUTH"
1t is of course no new thing for New
Yorker to talk in that way, reminding
one of Tom Hoods fable of the peacock
and the hen in lis ode TO Rae Wilson
which see. Every time the river and
harbor bill is introduced into Congress
its items are criticized by the pscss and
the politicians of all parties Of View
York and are denounced as "st,0t.' it
has not been forgot ii that in thc last
Congress Mr.. Hewitt, the present mayor
of New York city, and who then wanted
TO reform the tariff 10y making non or.s
dllty-iree that he might make greater
profit out of his manGiactWls-fr.
Hewitt objected to New YORK city S
boingiucluded in the general riv-r ami
harbor bill, and wanted herto have %
place TO herself. and so bc recognized
par Crc'NDHc@ MS thc gr,atcst, ltLottar
only, llacEbird in the dish.
And II viii not perhaps have been for-
gotten, at least by some tcv. tlat Nim
about three years ago, il had t.cr l.au
that Richmond wa, 24l M,,l..t.. T..
an established route 70 S.u lj.. .I.c,
than New YORK was, and tA--a .... APP
preparation Of about 5l,-.... "oa..
decpen our nvcr t. twcu.y-..,, l..' ..
10 miles inland, would I... uI..-
mord a. maritime citv. arl,rt.. l.rt.
compete for AZ least f. sm.liu. az t.l
national trade that -; one. ID 1,r. ru-
naut onu.ar.d in claIorat. si..'. Ia
l.,diro Now Yor, pario....l 10 snow
that Nr1 York WAS not only ,.e NEE
ttopolis of the United Stat s.. u.t tu.,
she was destined in the near il..r.. G..
use an 0mbitoUs phrase ol his. t. Dc tIe
"cosmetrop0l.s. or metropolis OF tie
whole world, formed for that rurp.. ly
nature. with no necessity tor eAtelnai
assistance and that Richmond, like ali
other southern cities, was destined to
perish bv the native and constitutional
apathy and Incidence Of tine South.
1t Is speaking commentary on this
profession e tue proyincials who in
di.lge in it that in tue aDpropriitions Tor
1856 New York city was allowed S9Jj,-
250 and James river only 2il2, J9J-only
about one.eighth as much as tLe north
orn citv-and this though New York and
BROOKLYN have Twenty-Five times the
population of Richmond and Manches-
ter, and a hundred times their wealth.
This has always been the case. From
1870 to 1881 the State of New lork has
had appropriated to rivers and haroors
S7,3S5, 900, or three times as much as
was given to the state OF Virginia, which
only received =, AGO, 300. his though
the wealth oil Ne" orK 9ta'e Is nearly